Proscar Versus Propecia: An Overview
Propecia® (
finasteride) is a prescription medication approved for the treatment of certain types of male pattern baldness.
Proscar® (finasteride) is a prescription medication licensed to treat an
enlarged prostate (also known medically as benign prostatic hyperplasia, benign prostatic hypertrophy, or
BPH). While both Propecia and Proscar contain the same active ingredient, they are not interchangeable.
This is because Proscar and Propecia contain different amounts of finasteride. Proscar is available in 5 mg tablets, while Propecia is available in 1 mg tablets.
Can I Cut Proscar Tablets?
Some healthcare providers may suggest cutting Proscar 5 mg tablets into fourths to use instead of Propecia to save money. This can be difficult, since Proscar tablets are not round but are apple-shaped. Even if you could accurately cut Proscar tablets, this would not give you the correct dose (1.25 mg, instead of 1 mg). However, doing so might save you a significant amount of money. The decision of whether to cut Proscar tablets into quarters instead of using Propecia is best made by you and your healthcare provider together.
Propecia and Proscar: A Summary
Propecia and Proscar are not interchangeable. They contain different amounts of the same active ingredient. There is no way to accurately cut Proscar 5 mg tablets to be equal to Propecia 1 mg tablets. You should talk to your healthcare provider about whether the cost savings may be worth the risk of getting the wrong dose.
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